richards



No. 65,904. Patented Dec. I3, I898.

W.- F. RICHARDS.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(Application filed July 7, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 615,904. Patented Dec. l3, I898; w. F. RICHARDS.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY BARS.

(Application fi1e d J u1y-7, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

m: NORRIS PETERS c Puo'ruLm-wu wnsumm'ow. 0 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OHARLE M. GOULD,OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR RAlLWAY-CAES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,904, dated December13, 1898. Application filed July 7,1898- Serial No. 685,316, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Lighting Apparatus forRailway-Cars, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to an electric-lighting apparatus forrailway-cars in which the current is generated byadynamo driven from oneof the car-axles by a belt or frictional driving mechanism which slipswhen the speed of the driving-axle exceeds that which is necessary toproperly drive the dynamo, thereby neutralizing such excess of speed andmaintaining a practically uniform normal speed of the dynamo.

My invention has more particular reference to an apparatus of this kindin which thedynamo is stationary and carried by the carbody and in whichan adjustable tension or spring-pressure device is applied to thedriving-belt of the dynamo, whereby the tension or adhesion of the beltcan be properly regulated for obtaining the desired normal output of thedynamo. To enable the dynamo to be effectually stopped, it is necessaryto arrange the belt so that the same extends upwardly from thedriving-axle in order to allow the belt to move out of contact with theunder side of the pulley on the driving-axle when the belt is loosened.WVhen the belt is arranged in this manner, the vertical vibrations ofthe car produce variations in the tension of the belt, and this causesthe dynamo to be driven at an irregular speed and renders the lightunsteady.

The objects of my invention are to so construct this driving mechanismthat the dynamo is not materially affected by the vibrations of thecar-axle from which it is driven and so that the dynamo can be stoppedand started without disturbing the adjustment of end elevation, partlyin section, looking toward the dynamo. Fig. 3 is a detached top planView of the slide, the tightener-pulleys,

and the supporting-plate on which the slide is guided. Fig. 4 is adetached top plan view of the slide. Fig. 5 isadetached bottom plan viewthereof. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the tightener frame and slideviewed from the dynamo.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures. 1

A is the car-frame; A, the car-floor; B, one of the axles, and O thetruck-frame.

D is the dynamo, which is preferably secured to the under side of thecar-frame, near the inner side of the truck, and cl is the pulley on thearmature-shaft.

E is the drivingbelt, which runs around the dynamo-pulley d, adriving-pulley E on the car-axle B, and a pair of intermediate guide andtightener pulleys ff, arranged above the axle-pulley, so that the beltextends substantially upwardly from the driving-pulley to thetightener-pulleys and thence lengthwise of the car to the dynamo-pulley.The tightener-pulleys f f are mounted on a vertically-adjustabletightener-frame F, which is pivoted at one end to the under side of aslide G. The tightener-frame is preferably composed of two parallel bentarms or levers f between which the guide-pulleys are journaled, and aswiveledcross-piece f connecting the free ends of these arms, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. This frame is pivoted to the slides G by bolts gengaging with lugs g on the under side of-the slide, Figs. 1 and 6. Theslide G is capable of adjustment lengthwise of the car and is supportedon the under side of the plate II by longitudinal Ways h, which areformed on said plate and receive corresponding flanges h, formed on theslide. The supporting-plate H is secured to the car-frame above thedriving-axle B. The slide is adjusted by any suitable means, preferably,as shown, by a longitudinal screw I, which engages in a screwthreadedlug t', projecting upwardly from the slide. The screw I is journaled ina standard 1 arranged on the supporting-plate, the screw being heldagainst endwise movement in the standard, so that upon turning the screwin one or the other direction the lug i is caused to traverse the screw,thereby movingthe slide and the tightener-pnlleys-f' f toward or fromthe dynamo. The screw I is operated by an upright shaft j, having abevel gearwheel j, which meshes with a similar gearwheel j on the screw.The actuating-shaftj is journaled in'the supporting-plate H and in anoverhanging bracket of the standard 1', and its upper end is made squareor fiat-sided to receive a suitable wrench for turning it. The upper endof this shaft projects into or through an opening j in the car-floor,which opening is preferably covered by a cap or removable plate 3' asshown in Fig. 1.

The free end of the tightener-frame F is supported by or connected witha suitable tension device, whereby said frame can be adjusted toward orfrom the driving-axle for regulating the tension of the belt. Thistension device preferably consists of a vertical adjusting-screw K,connected with the free end of the tightener-frame F, and a spring L,applied to said screw and resting upon and carried by the slide G, sothat the frame is yieldingly suspended from the slide by said screw andspring. The lower end of this spring is seated in a cup or socket Z,arranged on the slide, and its upper end is inclosed by a cap Z, bearingwith its upper side against a collar 1 of the adjusting-screw K. Thelower portion of this screw engages in a screwthreaded opening formed inthe swiveling cross-piece f, which is pivoted transversely between thefree ends of the arms of the tightener-frame F, by which connection thescrew is permitted to work freely in all positions of said frame. Thescrew is squared or flattened at its upper end to receive acorresponding wrench and terminates under or within an opening a, formedin the car-floor,which opening is covered by a cap or movable plate a.

W hen it is desired to tighten the drivingbelt, the greater portion ofthe slack of the belt is first taken up by shifting the slide G awayfrom the dynamo by turning the actuating-shaftj in the proper direction,whereby the tightener-pulleys carried by the slide are brought intosubstantially the position shown in Fig. 1. As the tension-screw K andspring L are also carried by the slide, they take part in this movement.After shifting the tightener-pulleys in this manner the tension of thebelt is regulated for obtaining the desired degree of adhesion by meansof the adj nsting-screw K, so as to move the free end of thetightener-frame F toward or from the driving-axle, as may be necessary.

In the use of the apparatus when the train is running at its ordinaryspeed the speed of the car-axle is much higher than that which isrequired for driving the dynamo. The tension of the belt is so regulatedthat the full adhesion of the same and the full speed of the dynamo arereached at a comparatively low speed of the car-axle. As the speed ofthe axle increases beyond this point by the increase in the speed of thetrain as the latter gathersheadway, the pull of'the-b'elt increasesaccordinglyhanddraws the tightenerpulleys f f slightly toward thedriving-axle. This slackens the belt, reduces its adhesioncorrespondingly,'and so prevents it from imparting acorrespondinglyincreased speed to the armature-shaft of the dynamo. Whenthe speed of the axle decreases, the tensionspring K draws thetightener-pulleys f f away from the axle and again tightens the belt. Inthis manner the increased pull of the belt resulting from an increasedspeed of the axle causes the tightener-pulleys to approach the axle, andthis causes a slackening of the belt and a corresponding slipping of thesame on its pulleys, so that the desired uniform speed of thearmature-shaft is maintained, although the driving-axle rot-ates at amuch higher speed than that which is required for driving the dynamo andis maintained practically uniform, although this high speed of the axlemay vary considerably.

When it is desired to stop the dynamo, the slide G is shifted toward thedynamo by means of its actuating-shaft j, so as to move thetightener-pulleys f f in the same direction and slacken the belt, thepulleys being shifted sufficiently to allow the belt to leave the underside of the pulley for effectually stopping the dynamo. When it isdesired to again start the dynamo, the slide and tightenerpulleys arereturned to their former position. The dynamo is stopped and started inthis manner without disturbing the adjustment of the ,tension device ofthe belt, as this device moves with the slide and the tightener-frame Fand remains in the same relative position to said frame. By providingseparate means for tensioning the belt and for throwing the same intoand out of gear with the drivingaxle it is unnecessary to readjust thetension device after tightening the belt, rendering the apparatus moreconvenient in use.

0, which is applied to the adjusting-screw I and against which the lug tof the slide strikes when the latter reaches its proper position. Thisstop-nut is locked by a jam-nut o. It will be observed that thedrivingbelt is thrown into and out of gear by shifting thetightener-pulleys ff toward and from the dynamo and that the tension ofthe belt is varied by shifting said pulleys toward and from thedriving-axle.

The tension-spring L, while permitting the requisite slippage of thebelt when the speed rises above that which is required to properly drivethe dynamo, also acts as a cushion which absorbs the vertical vibrationsof the car and prevents the tension of the belt from being affected bysuch vibrations, thus insur ing a uniform output of the dynamo and asteady illumination of the car.

By leading the belt upwardly from the driving-axle-and arranging thetightener-pulleys as shown the upright portion of the belt is broughtnear the pivot on which the truck oscillates or swivels, and thevariations in the tension of the belt, caused by the swiveling of thecar-truck when the car passes around a curve, are thereby reduced to aminimum. This arrangement also permits the belt to clear the truck andthe belt to run with great ease and freedom.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a railway-car and itsaxle, of a dynamo mounted on the car, a frictional driving mechanism fordriving the dynamo from said axle, an adjusting device for regulatingthe tension of said driving mechanism, and means independent of saidadjusting device for throwing said driving mechanism out of gear forstopping the dynamo, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a railway-car and its axle, of a dynamo mountedon the car, a belt whereby the dynamo is driven from said axle, atightener-pulley bearing against the belt, a movable support carryingsaid pulley, a shifting device for said support, and an adjusting devicewhereby the tightener-pulley can be moved independently of its support,for regulating the tension of the belt, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a railway-car and its axle, of a dynamo mountedon the car on one side of said axle, a pulley-support arranged on thecar and capable of moving toward and from said dynamo, a tightenerpulley or pulleys arranged substantially above the driving-axle, carriedby said support and capable of moving on the latter toward and from thedriving-axle, and a driving-belt extending upwardly from thedriving-axle around said tightener pulley or pulleys and thencelengthwise of the car and around the dynamo-pulley, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination with a railway-car and its axle, of a dynamo mountedon the car, a

belt whereby the dynamo is driven from said axle, a slide movable towardand from the dynamo, a vertically-swinging arm or frame pivoted at oneend to said slide and carrying a pulley which bears against the belt,and a yielding support which carries the opposite end of said frame,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a railway-car and its axle, of a dynamo mountedon the car, a belt whereby the dynamo is driven from said axle, a slidemovable toward and from the dynamo, a vertically-swinging tightenerframe or arm pivoted at one end to said slide and carrying a pulleywhich bears against said belt, and a yielding adjusting device mountedon said slide and connected with the opposite free end of saidtightener-frame,substantially as set forth.

, 6. The combination with a railway-car and its axle, of a dynamomounted on the car, a belt whereby the dynamo is driven from said axle,a slide movable toward and from the dynamo, a vertically-swingingtightener frame or arm pivoted at one end to said slide and carrying apulley which bears against the belt, a spring mounted on said slide, andan adj ustingscrew carried by said spring and engaging with the oppositefree end of said tightener-frame, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a railway-car and its axle, of a dynamo mountedon the car, a belt whereby the dynamo is driven from said axle, a slidemovable toward and from the dynamo, a vertically-swinging arm or framepivoted at one end to said slide and provided at its opposite end with aswiveling nut, a pulley carried by said frame and bearing against thebelt, a spring mounted on said slide, and an adjusting-screw carried bysaid spring and engaging with said swiveling nut, substantially as setforth.

Witness my hand this 28th day of June, 1898.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS.

